Identification

Diversity & distribution

Coastal eastern and south-western Australia.

At least three species occur in south-eastern Queensland including areas beside native forests, e.g., Kenmore, Brookfield, and the Gap. Their solid plug-like door is very effective when the creeks where they build are flooded. The spiders can remain safe in their burrows for weeks.

Burrow

About 30-40 centimetres deep with a thick plug door, in areas that are rainforest or moist gallery forest around streams.

Bite

Not known to be dangerous but the spiders seem easily disturbed and quickly rise to the defensive pose with head raised and fangs open and ready.

Similar Species

Half-Moon Trapdoors (Cataxia species) behave like Brown Tube Spiders but make a door that is half-moon shaped and may have ornamentations, like finger pads, around the curve; no leaves are used in the burrow entrance. Females are similar to those of the Golden Trapdoor but with somewhat sombre colours. A number of Cataxia species occur through coast Queensland and are not considered dangerous.

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